BridgET aims at addressing a growing demand for highly skilled professionals in the coastal and marine geosciences sector, who can be innovative in visualization, analysis, model creation, interpretation and communication of geological and environmental data in 3D. Digital geologic mapping… Leggi tutto is a mature technology, although dramatically improved recently with the advent of new state-of-the-art techniques such as Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and progress in computer vision and image analysis. Environmental reality-based 3D models can now be generated particularly through the aid of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). But the key advance has been the ability to easily construct high-resolution, photorealistic terrain models (as a base surface for 3D mapping) in the underwater environment. The submarine domain has always been less accessible and more economically challenging to investigate than the terrestrial one. But these technologies are now transforming field studies, enabling the resolution of problems that were extremely complex without technological progress, especially in industry (e.g. oil and gas, renewable energy, etc.), marine spatial planning and sustainable coastal and offshore environmental management practices. New methods and techniques have allowed a seamless combination of terrestrial and marine data, that is supporting the development of a more solid holistic approach to understand our changing environments and design appropriate management measures accordingly. The ability to easily examine multiple view angles of seamless seabed’s and coastal 3D surfaces, outside the logistical constraints, becomes even more efficient when 3D models can be experienced in Virtual Reality (VR). In this case, a true cognitive breakthrough is provided giving the potential to launch a new generation of studies as well as to promote inclusive teaching and learning that value the diversity of all learners and so actions for a sustainable future. Efforts are needed, however, to provide best practices for appropriate workflows when using VR in the field of coastal and marine geosciences in its many applications, and to outline how this technology can help inclusive 3D learning. The interdisciplinary European partnership of our project is made up by marine geoscientists and professionals with tracked expertise in geohazard assessment and climate-driven impacts in tectonically and/or climatically sensitive areas. The team will focus on learning and teaching how to build reality-based 3D model of selected submarine and coastal regions, to improve their exploration through the medium of VR, with a goal of developing an ad-hoc curriculum at postgraduate level to help students acquire and build their own advanced skills in these areas. BridgET aims at deeply renew the way in which applied marine geosciences can be taught, strengthening digital readiness, resilience and capacity in students. The most challenging impact we would like to achieve will be the promotion of a change toward a greater inclusion in the labor market commonly involved in delivering new tools, approaches, platforms and sensors for seafloor mapping, marine spatial planning and marine renewable energy, with the view of pursuing a more robust approach to diversity and inclusion in the field of marine geosciences, where there's a documented lack of diversity. The project is based on the delivery of innovative and inclusive learning and teaching activities through the organization of dedicated summer schools for MSc students. Schools will focus on giving students a hands-on experience of the variety of methods and approaches adopted in geospatial data acquisition and processing for the seamless generation of 3D models (i.e. Digital Terrain Models – DTM) of coastal regions. Three case studies will be selected to approach a coastal geohazard assessment based on an immersive observation of geomorphological data/geological phenomena and human interaction with physical processes from multiple perspectives. Practical activities will be in particular carried out in Santorini, on the shores and slopes of mount Etna and in Maldives. In Maldives we will take advantage of a research facility of the University of Milano-Bicocca (MaRHE - Marine and High Educational Research - Center), established in 2009 with the purpose of carrying our research and high education activities. All areas have been and are currently studied by project participants that already have collected consistent amount of data in these regions, that are particularly sensitive to a number of different geohazards and pose different challenges to the local population and socio-economic framework. We will prepare a defined multiscale and multisource geospatial datasets for each coastal regions that will be further supplemented with dedicated surveys during summer schools. Their geospatial integration will allow the creation of a VR learning environment (implementing the dataset with proper tools and dedicated software) that will allow all students and teachers to navigate in real-time and study and analyze processes and environments that otherwise would be impossible to observe. Students will test the application of their knowledge to provide coastal geohazard assessment and proposal for management measures, for each of the proposed case study (one for each summer school). All the involved universities will promote the inclusion of new approach for teaching and training activity, in the field of marine geosciences, in their educational program at MSc level. We planned three transnational project meetings to define and plan precisely, from the beginning and through the progress of the project, all project activities, especially the summer schools, the expected project results and the organization of two multiplier events.

The overarching objective of LIFE CAPTURE is to develop sustainable management methods for dealing with of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil and groundwater. This targets concrete issues and challenges that are currently encountered when dealing with PFAS-contamination. These… Leggi tutto relate to characterisation, assessment and mitigation of the contamination. We propose to develop a robust protocol for the analysis of PFAS, which is currently lacking. The intention is to enlarge the spectrum of the PFAS family that can be analysed. LIFE CAPTURE proposes a robust protocol that follows a staggered approach to: quantify whether any kind of PFAS is present; quantify the concentrations of a set group of well researched PFAS; determine if there are significant concentrations of other PFAS present; quantify and qualify those other PFAS. During site investigation it is currently considered best practice to only look at concentrations. The use of flux-measurements would be a valuable addition, allowing more direct measurement of exposure and risks. It can also be used to drastically enhance the efficiency of mitigation measures such as remediation. Within this project, passive flux samplers that can be integrated in the new analytical protocol will be demonstrated. Due to PFAS’s chemical properties most existing remediation technologies don’t provide adequate sustainable treatment solutions. We proposes a toolkit of promising innovative remediation technologies for PFAS. Technology trains will be identified and tested to optimize the remediation approaches in order to eliminate the contaminants from the environment. The assessment whether a certain PFAS-contamination is harmful is typically governed by a regulatory framework. We propose to develop a pragmatic risk and effect assessment approach. This will be based on existing standardised ecotoxicity tests. Special attention will be given to risk assessment for mixtures of different known or unknown PFAS.

Agricultural Practices are responsible for 17-20% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but are also the main driver for biodiversity and habitat degradation and loss. However, farmers remain the real countryside managers with paramount importance in the effort to meet… Leggi tutto the targets for EU Biodiversity Strategy (BDS) 2030 and the EU climate targets for 2050. A farmer has to wade through a large number of policy instruments (conceived in Brussels but interpreted locally), accompanied by often incomprehensive scientific terms not adequately explained to them (e.g. Natura 2000, Carbon Farming), all of which might change from one financing period to the next. TAKE OFF project aims to promote Environmentally Friendly Farming (EFF), in line with major EU policies and initiatives, e.g., EU climate targets, Biodiversity Strategy. In addition to these key policies for sustainable development, TAKE OFF is tailored to the ERASMUS+ Horizontal Priorities for the environment and fight against climate change and stimulating innovative learning and teaching practices. Accordingly, the concrete objectives of the project are: Activity 1) Produce an e-learning course for Environmental Friendly Farming (EFF) Activity 2) Built an online tool for promoting EFF practices. Activity 3) Produce a replicability e-package for education & training activities related to EFF Moreover, to increase the uptake and sustainability of the deliverables, TAKE OFF will interact with the target groups by implementing 2 multiplier events, which aim at piloting the outputs and collect feedback from key stakeholders: Activity 4) Multiplier event 1 (Cyprus) Activity 5) Multiplier event 2 (Italy) The TAKE OFF activities will allow VET providers to build education and training activities related to EFF. The e-learning course (Activity 1) will be developed according to the farmers’ age and IT literacy and contain four modules (Biodiversity Strategy; Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation; EcoSchemes/Farm to Fork; Financial opportunities and EFF). The material will seek to present in layman terms the key policies for the environment and climate change. In addition, an interactive online tool (Activity 2) will aim to support/train farmers in making informed decisions among plausible practices/approaches for EFF. Finally, a replicability e-package (Activity 3) will concentrate, in the form of a database, additional resources and material required for EFF, proposing appropriate curricula for various cases of VET (e.g., 1-hour introduction to EFF for young farmers; 1-day workshop for policymakers). The further uptake of TAKE OFF outputs will be promoted through two Multiplier events (Activities 4,5) conducted in Cyprus and Italy, respectively. The project will be coordinated by the Open University of Cyprus (OUC) and will have the contribution of the University of Milan Bicocca. Additionally, the project will support the involvement of a “newcomer”, the SME “Sustainability Metrics” (Cyprus).

DEEPICE aims to train a new generation of European researcher (15 ESRs) working on scientific issues related to climate change in Antarctica by taking advantage of the unique scientific dynamic of the new European ice drilling "Beyond EPICA" which started in 2019… Leggi tutto to extract a 1.5 million years old Antarctic ice core. The consortium gathers complementary expertise in instrumentation (for field conditions in extreme conditions or in the laboratory for the precise analysis of small ice samples), statistic tools as well as glaciological and climatic modeling from 10 different countries. The ESRs will carry out their individual research projects with a focus on an analytical or modeling subject in a strong interdisciplinary and intersectoral environment keeping in mind the importance of a combined data-model approach and with an active participation in science mediation in the field of climate change. The DEEPICE project will set up an innovative training program allowing the trained ESRs to acquire essential core and additional skills in instrumentation, ice core analysis, statistics and modeling, as well as a wide range of soft skills fostering their career perspectives. Especially, a thematic school will allow students to get in touch with different scientific mediators, publishers, journalists and political advisers. The research and training program gives an important place to scientific mediation and communication of obtained results to the general public and more specific stakeholders. After having completed the training, DEEPICE’s ESRs will be fully equipped for engaging in academic and non-academic careers related to glaciology, climate change, geophysics and instrumentation in geoscience.